Machine for cutting screws, &amp;c.



PAVTENTBD JULY 14, 1908.

3. BOWEN. MACHINE FOR CUTTING SCREWS,

3 Hl-ZBTS-SHEET l.

APPLIUATION FILED DEG. 28 1906,

INVENTOR ATTORNEY N0. v893,431. PATENTED JULY 1% 1908.

J.. BOWEN. 1

MACHINE FOR CUTTING SGREW8, (ire.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.28.1906.

3 SHBET"-ST1EET 2.

WlTNESSES: INVENTOR Q ATTORNEY No. 893,431. PATBNTED JULY 14, 1908. J. BOWEN.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING SCREW S, 6w.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 28, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WlTNESSES: I'INVENTOR JAMES BOWEN, OF'PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGN(lR TO SAYRE STAMPING COM- PANY, OF SAYRE, PENNSYLVANIA.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING SCREWS, &c.

Specification of Letters Patent.

, Patented July 14,1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES BOWEN, a citi-' zen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Cutting Screws, '&c., of which the followin is aspecification.

,his invention relates more particularly to improvements in machines wherein a rotatmg cutter is em loyed for cutting screw threads upon rods 0 considerablelen 'th, and for turning and finishing the surfaces of shafts, rolls and the like.

One object of my improvements is to.provide a machine of this character which will accurately cut screws of long lengths, and which may also be employed to give a true and smooth finish to cylindrical surfaces of variousshapes i I Y A further object is to so arrange the lead screw that the work will be directl driven thereby, and to p rovide a diiferential driving and'feed mechanism whereby, with a minimum number of change-gears of comparatively small diameters, the longitudinal travel of the lead screw may be perfectly regulated, with relation to its rotary motion, in conformity with any pitch of thread or width of out which it may be desired to make: in other words, to render the machine universal ;-capable of cutting all the different pitches and styles of screw threads, whether right or left hand, without changing I the lead screw.

-I attain my objects by constructing the machine in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which 5 Figure 1 represents a plan view of my complete machine; Fig. 2, a front elevation thereof; Fig. 3, a plan view of-the left hand end of the machine showing the lead screw and its driving and feed mechanismon a larger scale; Fig. 4, ail-elevation showing this'portion of the machine, as viewedfrom the rear;

Fig; 5, a section on the lin a- 't in Figs. 1

and 3,.looking to the left; Figs. 6, 7 and 8, details of the nut adjustin and turning mechanism; Fig. 9, a-front-e evation of the vertically and radially adjustable support, or carrier, for the'cutting tool,-parts being shown in-central longitudinal section; Fig.

' 10, an end elevation of the same, looking to machine.

the right from line bb in Fig. 1; Fig. 11-, a plan viewshowing a modification of the lead screw driving gear; Fig. 12, an end elevation thereof looking to the right from line c c in Fig. 11 and Fig. 13, a section on line dd in Fig. 12, looking to the left.

Like numerals designate like'partsjin the several views.

The machine comprises a bed '1 of suitable length supported on legs at the two ends and provided along its upper side with suitable guide-Ways to receive the sliding parts of the machine. At a suitable distance above the bed, in a central longitudinal position is the lead screw 2 the right hand end of which rotates in a bearin formed on a carriage 3; the left hand end 0 the screw assing through hubs on worm wheels 4 and 5, which hubs are. journaled in bearings formed on what may be termed the head-stock 6, which is rigidly fastened to the left handend of the bed.

in its hub to engage a longitudinal groove on the lead screw, an end view of said spline be- The worm wheel 4 is provided'with a splineing shown in Fig. .5, and it is rotated by means of the worm 7 mounted on the transverse shaft 8, which is journaled in the bearings 9 and 10 on the caps by which the Worm wheel hub is held to its bearin s in'the headstock 6. The outer end of s aft 8 is supported by a bracket 11 fastened to the back of the head-stock, and it is driven by means of the bevel gears 12 and 13, car 13 being secured to the end of a longitu inal. shaft 14 supported by brackets at the back of the At the other .end of shaft 14 is a cone ,ulley 15 which is belted to a. cone 16 on the s aft 17 supported in a fixed bearing above .the longitudinal center of the machine. Shaft 17 is driven from the main driving shaft 19 through an intermediate shaft 18 coupledto said two-shafts by universal joints. The machine is driven by pulley 20 on shaft 19, Which is belted to a suitably located counter shaft, or to any other source of power. This ulley might be placed on the shaft 17; but prefer to place it on shaft 19, as. by so doing the power 18 transmitted directly to the cutting tool from the pulley through strong driving gears and not through the necessarily weaker universal .joints.

To advance thelead screw from left to right, so as to feed the work to the cutter with the required longitudinal motion, relative to its rotary motion, to roduce the required pitch in the thread which is being cut, or any esired width of cut, I provide a revoluble nut to engage the lead screw. This nut is divided, in order: that the screwmay be released for a quick return to starting position, and it comprises the threaded jaws slidably mounted in diametrically opposite dovetailed grooves 29 formed on the face of the disk 28, said disk bein attached to the outer end of the hub wl iich carries the wormwheel-5. This hub is journaled in'bearings formed at the left hand end of the head stock 6, the end thrust on said hub in either direction being taken u by the shoulder 41 on one'side and the loc nuts 39 upon the other.

The worm wheel 5 meshes with theworm 27- 'mounted in the bearings 25 and 26 formed'on the caps of the hub hearings on the headstock, the worm shaft 23 projecting out to the rear and being supported by a'bracket 24 fastened to the head stock. The shaft23 is provided at its outer end with the ear wheel 22 in alinement with the gear whee 21 on the outer end of the shaft 8, and, in order to "transmit motion from shaft 8 to shaft 23, I

provide one .or more intermediate gears which are mounted on a movable pin or pins,

' ed upon the shoulder41 formed tric slots 33 through w as shown'at 34, carried on a slotted arm 35 which is pivotallymountedu on shaft 8.

In Figs. 1 and 2'an iuterme iate gear is shown in position on pin 34 to transmit motion from gear 21 to gear 22. The arm 35 is held in proper adjustment by means of the slotted arc 36,-Wh1ch is locked in position by a set screw 37 carried by a projection 38 on the bracket 11. i

v To place the nut jaws 30 in or out of engagement with the lead screw,. I rovide a disk 31 at the rear of disk 28, loose y mounts upon the lprovided with eccenscrews 32 are hub. This disk 31 is 1ch set passed into the jaws 30 through radial slots provided therefor in the disk 28. By loosenmg these set screws and turning the disk 31 in one direction or the other, the cam slots 33 will causethe jaws 30 to move'into or out of engagement with the lead screw.

When the nut jaws are out of engagement with the lead screw and the machine is in motion, it will be evident that simply a rotary motion-will be imparted to the lead screw from the worm shaft 8. If now the nut jaws be-thrown into engagement with the lead screw, and no--connect1on is establlshed between the shafts 8 and 23, the nut will remain stationary, being held so by the worm 27, and, as the lead screw is rotated, it will advance the work tothe cutting tool with a longitudinal travel which will roduce onthe work blank a threador cut of the same pitch as that of the lead screw. If, however, it is desired to produce 0n the blank a thread having a pitch less than that of the lead screw; that is to say, a'greater number of threads to the inch a gear 22 of, the proper relative diameter with respect to gear 21 will be placed on the shaft 23 and a suitable intermediate gear will be placed on the pin 34 and brought into mesh'with' gears 21 and 22, thereby transmitting motion from the shaft 8 to shaft 23 and causing the nut to rotate at a speed which will plro erl retard the longitudinal travel 'of t e ea screw. Should the machine be required to cut a thread of, greater pitchthan that of the lead screw; that is a less number of threads to the inch, then by placing a second intermediate gear on a pin secured in one of the slots on the arm 35, and meshing one intermediate gear with gear 21 and the other with gear 22,

a reversed motion will be produced in the nut so that the travel of the lead screw will be hastened to an extent which will produce the required increase pitch. Itwill thus be seen that, y the use of properly proportioned change gears, the lead screw maybe by 'producing any desired thread pitch dr width of cut, on the blank; this being accomlished through the differential action of the driving and feed-gears upon the lead screw. The speed of rotation of the lead screw is controlled; hrough the reducin gears 12 and 13, by meaaaofthe conepu eye 15 and 16 which-couplethe'shaft 14 to shaft'17,the speed of the lead screw being hastened or retarded with relation to the speed of the cutting tool by shifting the belt on the cones 15 and '16 in accordance with the nature of the work to, be done. Instead of usin the bevel gears 12 and 13 to transmit reduced motion from shaft 14 to'shaft 8,1

may accomplish a greater reduction in motion between the'shafts ,by employing a worm and worm wheel in place of these bevel ears; this modification being illustrated in igs. 11, 12 and 13, in which the shaft8 is shown provided with a. worm wheel 42, which is driven by worm 43 on shaft 14; said shaft bein journaled at each side of, the

worm si e arms 44 attached to the bracket- 11, which supports the outer end of the shaft 8. By this'modification Iobtain the reduc-, ing motion from shaft "14 to the lead screw throughf worm 43, worm wheel 42, worm 7 and worm wheel 4. With either arran ement of reducing ears, combined with t e worm drive on lea screw and nut, I provide in the lead screw a steady, slow and powerful rotar motion properly'proportioned to the spec of the cutting tool to remove all inaccuracies due to lost motion in gear trains,

and to permit a cut the full depth of the thread groove to be'made at one operation" I the lead screw in order that, in screw cutting,

' turned and set relatively to the other.

periphery of one of these disks is provided speed of rotation is adapted to be changed,

- the blank in osition to start the cutting too (as indicated at 48), where and '50 for the main drive shaft 19, and at the without producing chatter at the tool. The

however, with relation to that of the cutting tool by means ofthe cones 15 and 16.

In order to'attach the blank or other piece, u on whichthe work is to be performed, to t e lead screw, I attach to the end of the lead screw a suitable chuck 47 said chuck being attached to a short arbor mounted on the carriage 3 and con led to the end of the lead screw by means 0 the coupling disks 45 and 46. This arbor is made separate from multiple threads may be produced upon the blank. These disks are coupled to ether by any suitable means whereby one dis may be The with a suitable scale and an index mark is rovided on the periphery of the other disk. n cutting, for instance, a double thread, after the first thread has been cut, the lead screw will be released from the nut 30 and the carriage 3 moved back to the left to brin in on a fres cut. -The coupling between disks 45 and 46'is then loosened and the disk 46 given a half turn with relation to the disk 45, thereby rotating the blank a half turn and bringing it in position for the cutter to mill out a thread ggp'ove between the spirals of the groove already cut. Disks 45 and 46 will then be again rigidly coupled together, the nut jaws 30 thrown into engagement with the lead screw andthe lead screw again set in motion tofeed the blank to the cutter. In the same manner, by properly adjusting the disk 46 with relation to the disk 45, a still greater number of threads or spirals may be formed on the blank. I

In order that the lead screw may be thrown out of o eratio without stopping the main drive s aft, amount the cone 1 5 loosely upon shaft 14 and rovide aclutch, by the shaft may be readily connected to or disconnected from the cone.

Cutting tool 60 is mounted upon the end of a shaft which is journaled in a carrier adapt- I ed to be raised or lowered, and also to be turned about the vertical diameter of the cutter, as an axis, to properly position the cutter to conform with the diameter and pitch of the screw thread or spiral cut to be produced upon. a given piece of work; and also to adjust the tool to the required depth of cut. This carrier is composed of two parts 51 and 52, boltedtogether, and provided atthe top with the journal boxes 49 g rder side with journal boxes 58 and 59 to carry the shaft 57, to the end of which the cutter 60 is attached. Motion is transmitted from driving'shaft 19 to cutter shaft 57 b means of an lntermediate gear 54, whiclil meshes with gears55 and 56, mounted, re

spectively on the shafts 19 and 57 the gear 54 being mounted on a bearing formed on the gear member 51, and retained in place by the member 52 when bolted into place by means of the bolts 53. The gear member 51 is rovided, over the cutter, with a turntable p ate 61, the center of which is in alinement with the vertical diameter of the cutter; This turntable plate is secured to the underside of a horizontal arm on the slide 64, which is adjustably mounted upon the standard fastened to the bed of the machine .at the back side. The turntableplate isv provided upon its'upper face with a cylindrical projection 62 which enters a circular recess, or socket, in the under side of the arm on slide 64'; and it is held to place and secured in its adjusted positions by means of the set screw 63, Since the axis of this turntable plate coincides with the vertical diameter of the cutting tool it will be evident that, by loosening the set-screw and turning the'carrier in one direction or the other, the cutter may be .set at any angle, with relation to the work,

that maybe required to produce a desired screw pitch or spiral cut thereon, whether right or left.

The slide 64 is raised and lowered u on the standard 65 by means ofa hand whee on the vertical adjusting screw 66 in the usual manner; and, in order to firmly brace the cutting tool, I provide at the front of the machine a screw. The top of the post 68 is connected.

to the top of standard 65 by means of a brace plate 67. I thus provide a. perfectly rigid support for the cutter, with means for locking the adjusting arts securely in place after the cutter has een form the work required.

To hold the work in (position beneath the cutter I provide a stea y rest 70, having a -cylindrical socket into whichmav be fitted one of a seriesof blocks 71, which will be bored to difierent diameters, to r'eceivethe bars or rods which form the blanks to be operated upon.

The main shaft 19 is coupled to the'cone shaft 17 by means of the intermediate shaft 18 and universal joints, to permit of the vertical and horizontal adjustments of the carrier, The: vertical adjustments are not extensive. The horizontal angular adjustments of the shaft 19, due to the swinging of the carrier from one side to the, other on turntable 61 will throw the shaft considerably-out of alinement vwith shaft 17. By

positioning the center of the universal joint,

which couples shaft 19 to shaft 18, 1118 11119 ment vwith the vertical axisoof the turntabie properly set to per-, 1

61, I maintain this joint in a fixed position horizontally, thereby maintaining the shafts 17 and 18 at all times in the same vertical plane. By this arrangement I reduce to a minimum the degree of displacement of said shafts. By setting the hub of pulley 20 a short distance away from the bearing 50, (a

quarter of an inch will suffice), the shaft 1 9 ment of shaft 18 when raising 'and lowering" will be permitted to slide in its bearingssIufficiently to allow for the angular displaceuired angle, by swinging t e carrier toward t e front of the machine, the direction of r0- tation of the driving shaft 19 continuing the same. The lead screw will be run out to the right. until the left hand end of the blank is under the cutter.- Then, by placing prop- 'erly proportioned 'gea rs between shafts 8 and 23, t e nut will be given a left hand rota- 1 'tion more rapid than that ofthe lead screw, thereby causing said screw to travel toward one of the worm wheel, and I have found that the left, carrying the blank from right to left past the cutter at proper speed of travel to fodltice the desired angle of out upon the an a I have adopted worms and worm wheels as the means for imparting motion fromshafts 8 and 23 to the lead screw and'fe'ed nut, because, in so doing, I accomplisha great reduction speed in the. screw and nut and avoid the use of large and many membered gear trains, thereby eliminatingthe inaccuracies arising from the use of said trains. The worms,'as I make the machine, are proportioned to run one hundred revolutions to these high speeds of the shafts 8 and 23, relativeto the screw and nut, enable me to make to 10 to the inch twelve ifferent pitches can therequisite changes, in the gear train between said shafts to accomplish the differences in speed and direction of rotation between the screw and nut by the use of small change gears andcomparatlvely few of them. -Thus, for pitches runnin from-1 to the inch .bevcut on this machine with the use-of nine difierent change gears only, r'anging'from 120 teethdown to 24 teeth and by adding six more change gears, all below 120 teeth, lefthand pitches within the same range may be cut. I I f By substituting .a grinding wheel for the milling cutter, and roperly ad'usting the relative speed ofsai W166i to t e work, a Isimooth and true surface finish maybe prouced.

The lead screw and difl erential driving and feed mechanism, as herein set forth, may be (sipiplied to various machines for doing many erent kinds of work, and I do not confine" m self, therefore, to the application thereofsecure by Letters Patent is' 1. In a screw cutting machine, the combination of a lead screw, a horizontal bed above and parallel to which the lead screw is mounted, means for transmitting simultaneous rotary and longitudinal motions to the screw, means for changing the relative speeds of said rotary and longitudinal motions, a sup-- -port for one end of the screw slidably mounted upon the bed, and means on said'end of the screw for securin a piece of work thereto, whereby the require longitudinal and rotary motions will be transmitted to the work di rectly from the screw.

2 The combination, with a lead'screw and driving mechanism for imparting rotary mo tion thereto, of a nut for nnparting longitudinal motion to the screw, a worm wheel adapted to rotate the nut, a shaft provided with a worm to rotate the worm w eel, and means susceptible of change, whereby, said shaft may be connected to the driving mechanism to impart to the nut different speeds of rotation relative to the rotary motion of the screw! 1 i 3.- The combination, in a machine of the character described, of a tool su ort adapted to be adjusted to and from ih e work, a

carrier pivotally nou'nted on said su portv with its pivotal axis intersecting the line of travel of the work, a shaft journaled on the carrier with'its axis intersecting the pivotal axis of the carrier, a cutting tool on the shaft at the point of intersection of the axis of the shaft with said pivotal axis, a second shaft jou'rnaled on the carrier parallel .with the "first and geared thereto, a third shaft coupled to the second shaft by a'universal joint, the center-of said joint being positioned in saidpivotal axis, a fourth shaft to which the third shaft is also coupled by a universal joint, mechanism for feeding the work to the cutting tool, a connection bet-ween said fourth shaft and: the feed mechanism, and

means for im arting motion tolone of the carrier shafts om a source of power.

'4. The combination, in a machine of the character described, of a ivotally mounted carrier adjustable to and, rom'the work, the pivotal axis of the carrier intersecting the axis of the work at right angles, a shaft journaled on the-carrier with its axis intersecting vsaid pivotal axis, a cutting tool on theshaft at the'point of intersection of said axes, a

second shaft on the carrier parallel with and geared to the first, the aXis'Of said second In testimony whereof have affixed my shaft also Jnterseetlng the plvotal axls, means slgnature, 1n presence of twe Witnesses.

for drivim one of said shafts from a source T Us of power, iiecha nism for feed-ing 'the Work to "Alums BOWEB" the cutting tool, and a flexible connection be- Witnesses: tween said second shaft and the feed mech- ROBERT J. BYRON,

anism. EDMUND W. KtRBY. 

